Perspective is Everything.

LAURA’S LINK-UP #10: A Soul-Searching/Controversial Question

If this is your first time seeing this, first.. let me say, “I’m glad you’re here.”

LAURA’S LINK-UPis something that helps me connect with all of you, as well as you with others. Two Monday’s of each month, I will post a thought-provoking question. Sometimes, the question just sits there. That’s ok. But, usually…there’s always some brave soul out there that can’t resist…and starts up a conversation with their most excellent answer. 🙂 Thanks to all of you who have kept this going. The more comments posted, the more connections made. With your comment, you are asked to leave a link to your blog for others to LINK-UP to. And so, now that you know…I hope you keep reading and stick around long enough to connect with at least one other awesome blogger.

First, I want to thank all those who participated in LINK-UP #9. If you want to check out the responses, please click the link. Don’t be shy. You are more than welcome to still get in on the conversation.

There are many common ethical questions Christians face in today’s society, but this one in particular has hit home for me. With much soul-searching, I have come to the conclusion that trusting God to protect me is not in contradiction with also having the tools to defend and protect myself and my family.

QUESTION #10:

Does carrying a gun for protection show a lack of faith in God?

You are more than welcome to disagree. I welcome your thoughts and comments. I just ask you not judge me for my convictions. 🙂

Below are a few fellow bloggers who participated in the most recent “LINK-UP” as well as in past discussions. Please check them out. You may discover a new friend and a new inspiration is just a link away.

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If you live in a country where carrying a gun is legal and commonplace, then I believe God would understand your need to protect yourself.
But I find it incredibly sad that you live in a society where this question is even relevant.
It also makes me sad that Americans can’t see one fact that is blindingly obvious to those of us who live in countries where gun ownership is tightly controlled: you don’t need a gun to protect yourself and your family from a person with with a gun if nobody has guns (except perhaps members of organised crime gangs who confine themselves to shooting each other, not everyday people).
As for statistics – before the gun control laws of 1996, Australia had 13 mass shootings in 18 years. There have been no mass shootings since.
Ted Cruz claimed that sexual assaults on women in Australia had risen since the introduction of gun control. This is absolutely and provably not true.
UN statistics show that the homicide rate in the UK and NZ is 0.9, in Australia is 1.0 and in the US is 3.9. The first 3 countries have gun control, the US doesn’t. I can’t believe that is irrelevant.
The sixth Commandment says ‘Thou shalt not kill’. So how can a predominantly Christian country justify easy access to the most efficient means of killing available, knowing – as they well and truly do by now – that even if ‘guns don’t kill people’, the people who own the guns most certainly do.

I totally disagree on possessing guns. Guns should be used by people in jobs where protection is the main role and in sports. Guns should be used where it should be used and not everywhere and not by everyone. Civilians do not have to use them. If this practice is put in place, there would be a considerable reduction in crime rates in the world. I live in a land of non-violence. If we want to prevent crime and violence, we should get rid of the vehicle through which it occurs first.

I completely understand where you’re coming from but respectfully disagree. Statics have proven that gun control does not reduce crime rate. You are very blessed to live a nation where there is no violence. I think the United States has the 3rd largest population in the world. We also report various crimes in statistics where other countries do not. We report homicides but England and Whales do not include these in their statistics. It’s a sad fact that crime exists no matter we live. Violence comes from the individual for many different reasons and various triggers set that violence into an act. People kill people with their bare hands. We are our own worst enemy. Thanks so much for commenting. I really appreciate your point of view. I hope you come back. 🙂

I live in a country where we do not have the American preoccupation with guns. Guns are used for various sports, the occasional crime, and otherwise are kept locked up. It seems to me that the American population has a core group completely focused on guns. If you want to change the American gun focus, it seems to me that the change will have to come from a group with a lot of drive and focus. It would be up to that group to decide where god comes into this for you all. Was God part of other major changes in your society ?

God does not play a role in our society with guns. That’s the problem. It’s not the guns that’s the real issue, it’s people and how they misuse guns. Just like anything, guns are a tool which can be used for good or bad. It’s the person and what’s in their heart that causes the violence with guns. God does play a role in my heart and conscience, There was a point in time when I never felt I would need to protect myself from others but it’s sad to say…our nation has grown to learn and teach violence in many ways, including guns. 😦 Thanks so much for your comments. By the way, just curious…where do you live?

I live in New Zealand. We see some of the shootings in the USA on our news, and the general reaction that I pick up here is that this is an American matter.But clearly, now that the guns are there, you have to deal with what is actually happening. I hope you all find a positive way to deal with guns.

Hey, I want to throw in anther thought. How about Jesus asking the disciples if they had swords going into the Garden. Peter said they had one. Jesus said that was enough. And Peter did use it. What do you make of that?

Good point, Oneta. I know God himself, has killed. He has wiped out numbers of people and one day, He will return and more will be killed. I believe God gives us choices and when we choose wrong…we ultimately take on our own death sentence. This has been a very interesting question… LOL

No – but it sure is comforting to know it’s there if the need would arise!

To me, faith is believing and declaring that the need to use a gun for protection won’t arise in my lifetime! Faith is also knowing that if it would happen, it would be handled and I would accept it as part of God’s plan for our lives.

I’m thankful for a husband who keeps a gun in the house for protection, as well as taking it on long road trips or into larger cities. It’s a feeling a comfort for me. With God as my protector, a husband with a gun, and two sons with hands – I am a very blessed woman.

Personally, I do not like guns. However, I respect others if they choose to have one in their home for protection. With that said, in the past I have read experts say that in a situation where one has to defend themselves, many times the guns are used against the person trying to defend themselves. I think they do more harm than good.

This seems to be a matter of what I will call “faith phases.” One phase is to rely on God for one’s full protection and never offer any resistance in the face of danger. The other phase is to accept the outcome of a dangerous situation after we have offered up self-defense.

I don’t believe God ever intended for us not to take care and try to protect ourselves if in danger. Even the disciples of Christ scattered to avoid persecution from the Romans and the Jewish Sanhedrin. Certainly this qualifies as taking steps to protect themselves…

The question of having a gun to protect one’s self is a bit too much for me. I do not like guns myself. But I would consider other weapons to try to protect myself and loved ones in threatening situations. Now, if I or a loved one was killed anyway, I would have faith that this was the will of God and accept it as such. That’s the phase of faith I defend and accept.

Such a great way of looking at this. Although I do not like the idea of guns in any form of use, I do believe that I have an obligation to do what is necessary to protect myself and family, if needed. I believe God will judge me by my heart not the gun. 🙂

Does buying food show a lack of faith in God who promises food for my daily bread? Does buying clothes show a lack of faith in God who cloths Solomon and the birds? Does buying life insurance indicate lack in faith that God will take care of my family? Does going to a doctor indicate lack of faith in God, my healer? Does carrying a gun show a lack of faith in God, my protector? The answers to all is “No.” But you can sure go overboard with all of them.

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Trust me, I've been there, I've looked, I've searched and I know now, that there are no answers to be found in the bottom of a bottle or on the edge of a blade! Fighting Hard, Recovering, Rebuilding, REBORN. Moving on from addiction to a new life.